PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT I’M THINKING

It began yesterday when Hunny and I were running errands on one of the first particularly hot days of the year. Suddenly the AC wasn’t working in the car, and I won’t go into details but after a couple hours, I was feeling too warm. Hunny said, “I’ll call the shop on Monday and get it fixed.” Meantime, we continued.

But apparently, without paying attention, I was letting out big exasperated sighs every few minutes. Finally, Hunny said, “I’ll bet if you start counting your blessings, the list would be 100 times bigger than your complaints.”

I laughed and said, “You are so right!” And I began paying attention to what I’d been thinking, a depressing drone of, “Oh how miserable I am in this heat.” Instantly I began counting just a few of my blessings, and they are certainly plentiful. My suffering lessened and I encouraged the car to be cooler, which helped.

Then today, as I was thinking about a new book coming out with one of my articles in it, I walked by the bedroom. The clock displayed the time was 11:11. It seemed significant because it’s happened 3 times in two days. So, I Googled the meaning of 11:11 and read a couple different sites on the subject.

Father highlighted one section that mentioned paying attention to my thoughts at the moment I saw 11:11. Remembering that I had been thinking about the book, I also remembered that those thoughts were accompanied by a joyous expanding. It was similar to spreading my arms out in a big whirl.

At that moment, Father said, “I have a good plan. Will you agree?”

“Oh, yes, Father. I agree wholeheartedly!”

And He said, “Is anything in your heart holding back?”

I answered, “I don’t see anything, but show me if there is.”

Then I waited. And with my eyes closed, I felt my spirit swirling around and through and inside of Him. There was no obstacle to the interaction. So, I decided there was nothing holding me back.

But when I opened my eyes and stared at the mountains, the muscles in my hands and chest began tightening and contracting. It was just a little, but it’s what my body does when I’m anxious or nervous.

Immediately, I said, “No, I’m not anxious or nervous. I am at peace.”

And I realized that if I hadn’t been paying attention in that moment it would have turned into thoughts about ‘what if’s?’, or even ‘how will it’s?’ And those thoughts would have destroyed the joyous expansion I had been experiencing. They would have muddied the waters, making a murky atmosphere. The expanding would have begun to contract and I would have been holding back. It was exactly what Father had asked me about.

I thought I’d share this with you because we know this isn’t just a spiritual thing. It’s physical too. What we think about, is what we experience tomorrow. Our thoughts have that kind of effect.

Thankfulness and joy bring peace. And with peace comes heaven on earth, perfection in the imperfection.

At this moment, I am basking in the whirl and I’m going to pay attention to not tighten my hands and chest or think about ‘what ifs?’ and ‘how will it’s?’.

I’m going to enjoy joy and expansion and peace. They produce more of the same.

I thought you might like a reminder too, to pay attention to what you’re thinking.